Mrs Debbie Child, Diocesan Secretary for the Diocese of Leeds, is to retire from her post on 31 March 2020.
Debbie has served the Diocese of Bradford and, latterly, Leeds since 1991.
Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Revd Nick Baines, shared the following statement following the news of Debbie’s retirement: “Debbie is a remarkable servant of the Church, bringing compassionate pastoral skills to bear on organisational and business demands.
"She has been an essential leader of change as three historic dioceses were dissolved in 2014 and the Diocese of Leeds was created.
“Her task has been formidable, but she has never shirked the responsibility - however difficult or painful the decisions might have been.
"She is a joy to serve with and I and my colleagues owe her a huge debt on many fronts.
“There will be time next year to say more.
"In the meantime, it is business as usual as we continue to shape and implement the diocesan strategy, aligning our support operations to the strategy and continuing to shape a diocese fit for mission in the twenty-first century.
“Please pray for Debbie, her colleagues and those involved in the search for her successor.”